1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a keyboard with liquid-draining function, more particularly, a keyboard for notebook computers, characterized in that, the liquid-draining space and liquid-draining hole are formed inside the keyboard to drain away liquid accidentally poured into the keyboard, thus preventing liquid from accumulating in the keyboard, and maintaining the normal operation of the keyboard.
2. Description of the Related Art
A general notebook computer 10, as shown in FIG. 1, mainly comprises a screen 20, a keyboard 30 and a casing 40; wherein the screen 20 and the casing 40 are integrally connected via the hinge mechanism. The keyboard 30 is installed on the casing 40, wherein a motherboard adhered on the surface with CPU and other electronic units is contained; the motherboard is located under the keyboard 30.
As shown in FIG. 2 to FIG. 6, the keyboard 30 includes a plurality of keys 31; the elastic body layer 33 that, installed under a plurality of keys 31, contains and fixates the keys 31; the circuit board layer 34 under the elastic body layer 33; the bottom board 35 that, installed under the circuit board layer 34 with upturning edge 37 along the sides thereof, is for fixating the elastic body layer 33 and the circuit board layer 34; and the sealing layer 38 adhered onto the lower surface of the bottom board 35.
The bottom board 35 is distributed with a plurality of apertures 36 formed via the means of pressure-punching (refer to FIG. 4), and during the process of pressure-punching, lugs are also formed to lock and fix the elastic body layer 33 and the circuit board layer 34 (not shown in figures). The elastic body layer 33 and the circuit board layer 34 are respectively installed with apertures to correspond with apertures 36 on the bottom board 35, thus lugs installed on the bottom board 35 can pierce through for buckling and fixating the keys 31, the elastic body layer 33 and the circuit board layer 34 to form an integral part. The bottom board 35 is further installed with fixating bolt (not shown in figures), so as to fixate the keyboard 30 onto the casing 40 and keep certain distance between the keyboard 30 and the motherboard in the casing 40.
The bottom board 35 that contains the keys 31, the elastic body layer 33 and the circuit board layer 34, since it has to absorb the force from the user""s hitting the keys 31, shall be made of rigid and durable material, e.g., metal, so as to prevent the keyboard 30 from being bent and deformed; as to the sealing layer 38, it should especially be made of lamellar waterproofing material for the purpose of waterproofing. Since the composition of the keyboard 30 is of conventional art, it is no need to describe the detailed structure thereof here.
The notebook computer 10 (please refer to FIG. 1), with the convenient features of lighter weight and smaller volume, thus easy to be carried around, demands higher prices than those of desktop computers. In order to avoid the situation that the expensive notebook computer being easily damaged when the user, while operating the notebook computer, accidentally pours liquid into the keyboard 30, the conventional keyboard 30 is installed with the sealing layer 38 on the lower surface of the bottom board 35, therefore making the keyboard 30 a waterproof keyboard, for the purpose of stopping the liquid poured in from flowing through the apertures 36 of the bottom board 35 down to the circuit board. By using the sealing layer 38 to seal the apertures 36 of the bottom board 35, it is to be assured that the circuit board is not to be damaged by liquid dripping down from the aperture 36 of the bottom board 35, and the normal operation of the notebook computer is to be maintained.
Nevertheless, even though the bottom board 35 is installed with upturning edges 37 to hold liquid accidentally poured inside, the holding volume is not without limit. Thus when too much liquid is poured inside the keyboard 30, liquid would flow over the upturning edges 37 and reach the motherboard under the keyboard 30, therefore causing damages to the motherboard and making the computer inoperable. Even if liquid poured into the keyboard 35 can be held within the confinement of the upturning edges 37, liquid inside the keyboard 35 still cannot be removed out of the keyboard 35 by means of biasing the keyboard 35 (because the biasing of the keyboard 35 shall cause liquid to flow into the motherboard). The only way is to shut down the computer and wait for liquid to be naturally vaporized, a solution that is tremendously time-wasting.
In conclusion, the conventional waterproofing keyboard 30 can only be waterproofing without the function of draining away liquid accumulated inside, a design flaw that desperately needs to be improved upon.
The object of the present invention is to provide a keyboard with liquid-draining function that, applied on notebook computers, utilizes the liquid-draining space and the liquid-draining hole formed inside the keyboard to drain away liquid accidentally poured into the keyboard, thus liquid can be drained away from the keyboard swiftly via the liquid-draining space and the liquid-draining hole, so as to prevent liquid from accumulating in the keyboard, and maintain the normal operational function of the keyboard.
For achieving the aforementioned object, the keyboard with liquid-draining function of the present invention at least includes a plurality of keys, the elastic body layer located under the plurality of key to contain the plurality of keys, the circuit board layer located under the elastic body layer, the bottom board that, located under the circuit board layer, is used for locking and fixating the keys, the elastic body layer and the circuit board layer, and the sealing layer that adheres to the lower surface of the bottom board. At least one liquid-draining hole is installed on the bottom board, and a liquid-draining space is formed between the circuit board layer and the bottom board by the dividing mechanism; the liquid-draining hole and the liquid-draining space are connected, so that liquid accidentally poured into the keyboard can be drained away through the liquid-draining space and the liquid-draining hole, thus liquid poured in from the keys can be swiftly drained away via the liquid-draining space and the liquid-draining hole, so as to prevent liquid from accumulating in the keyboard, and maintain the normal operational function of the keyboard.
The first embodiment of the dividing mechanism is formed and distributed on the lower surface of the circuit board layer, and comes into contact with the upper surface of the bottom board, thus forming the liquid-draining space between the circuit board layer and the bottom board.
The second embodiment of the dividing mechanism is formed and distributed on the upper surface of the bottom board, and comes into contact with the lower surface of the circuit board layer, thus forming the liquid-draining space between the circuit board layer and the bottom board.
The third embodiment of the dividing mechanism is formed and distributed on both the lower surface of the circuit board layer and the upper surface of the bottom board with interlocking installation, thus forming the liquid-draining space between the circuit board layer and the bottom board.
The dividing mechanism is integrally formed on the circuit board layer and/or the bottom board.
The upturning edges can also be formed during the forming of the liquid-draining hole through the pressure-punching method, so as to expedite the water-draining process.
The keyboard is biasly installed on the casing.